Flexed ceiling structure with trimmed edges



E. DALBY 3,390,495

FLEXED CEILING STRUCTURE WITH TRIMMED EDGES July 2, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1966 h \mwm July 2, 1968 E. DALBY 3,390,495

FLEXED CEILING STRUCTURE WITH TRIMMED EDGES Filed March 2, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FLEXED CEILING STRUCTURE WITH TRIMMED EDGES Filed March 2, 1966 E. DALBY July 2, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2, 1968 E. DALBY 3,390,495

FLEXED CEILING STRUCTURE WITH TRIMMED EDGES Filed March 2, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent Oifice 3,390,495 Patented July 2, 1968 3,390,495 FLEXED CEILING STRUCTURE WITH TRIMMED EDGES Eric Dalby, 8 Oakrnead Gardens, Edgware, England Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 206,656, July 2, 1962. This application Mar. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 531,083 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 8, 1961,

39,983/ 61 Claims. (Cl. 52-222) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ceiling structure comprises a grid-like support structure having closely spaced parallel rows each consisting of elongated support members, arranged in end-to-end relation, and a plurality of spaced parallel cross members secured transversely to the support members at intervals along the length of each row. Each support member comprises a longitudinally extending base portion secured to the cross members and a flange extending downwardly away from the base portion, along the whole of its length, and having a laterally facing channel extending along the whole length thereof with all the channels of the row in continuity. A plurality of narrow strips of resiliently flexible material is also provided with strips having a width greater than the spacing of adjacent channels in the rows of support members, and each strip having the whole of its longitudinal edges resiliently engaged in an adjacent pair of channels whereby the strip is supported along the whole of its length in a transversely bowed condition. Each strip is sufficiently longitudinally flexible to enable the strip to be supplied in a rolled condition and has a length corresponding to the overall length of the row of support members in the channels of which its edges are engaged, so as to extend without interruption along the whole of said row and across joins between the support members in the row.

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to walls, or ceilings, and this application constitutes a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 206,656, filed July 2, 1962, now abandoned.

According to the present invention, a surface covering for walls or ceilings, or a suspended ceiling, comprises a plurality of strips of a springy material of such transverse section as to be capable of being supplied in rolls, each strip being of substantial length, and support members which are arranged in lines parallel to the strips and which support the strips along their edges to form a substantially continuous visible surface for the wall or ceiling, the support members for this purpose being formed with longitudinal channels in which the edges of the strips are resiliently engaged and in which the edges are retained at least in part by virtue of the resilience of the strips.

The strip material may be flat, or slightly bowed in transverse section prior to mounting in position, and, when sound absorbing material is to be hidden by the covering, is perforated.

This invention gives rise to many advantages in manufacture, in assembly and in use. The strip material is relatively cheap and simple to manufacture since it has a transverse section of simple form. Since the strip can be supplied in rolls, each containing a long length of strip, it can be readily transported and handled, and also appropriate lengths of strip can be cut from the rolls as required.

In assembly, the support members, which are conveniently in short lengths, are first fixed in parallel lines to appropriate spacing by ordinary wood screws to wooden battens, or by rivets or nuts and bolts, or clips, to standard lengths of angle section, channel section or T-section metal bar, which may be suspended when forming a suspended ceiling, or in any other convenient way, and the lengths of strip are then either fed longitudinally, or sprung, into position with their edges engaged in the channels or equivalent. It will be appreciated that the operation of assembling the strips is relatively simple in that the strip has no flanges or the like on its reverse surface which have to be engaged with clips or the like which are hidden from view as soon as the strip is offered up to the support members.

Since the strips can be in long lengths, the covering of this invention has the advantage that joins can be eliminated, or few in number so improving the appearance of the visible surface. Thus each strip may extend over the full length of a ceiling. Also the wooden battens, or the metal bars to which the support members may be attached, and the greater part of the support members themselves, can be hidden from view.

Another advantage is that the strips are readily removable to expose hidden services, such as surface heating equipment and concealed lighting equipment, and are also readily replaceable at a relatively low cost when for example it is desired to alter a colour scheme.

According to one form of this invention, the support members are relatively short lengths of angle or T-section bar, which may be extruded or fabricated from sheet metal, the bar having a mounting web, by which the bar is secured as above described, and a supporting web to be engaged by the strips this web having a bead or first lateral flanges, along its free edge and lateral flanges spaced from the bead, or the first lateral flanges, to form channels to receive the edges of the strip. When the covering or suspended ceiling is assembled only the beads, or the first lateral flanges, of the bars will be visible and these may be covered after assembly by long lengths of a decorative flexible plastic material which covers the gaps between the ends of adjacent bars. The plastics material may also assist to retain the strips in position by acting as packing between the bead, or first flanges, and the strips.

According to another form of this invention, the support members are relatively short lengths of channelsection material, the free edges of the side flanges of the channel section members being shaped to afford channels to receive the longitudinal edges of the strip. The side flanges may also be shaped to support a layer of sound absorbing material within the channel section in spaced relation to the strip.

Some forms of this invention embodying the above and other features of invention will now be described by way of example, the description referring to the accompanying drawings in which-- FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of one form of ceiling structure,

FIGURE 2 is a view on FIGURE 1 in the direction of arrow 2, of a slightly modified form of ceiling structure,

FIGURE 3 is a view of a decorative strip for use with the covering of FIGURES l and 2,

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate alternative forms of support members for use in coverings according to FIGURES 1 and 2,

FIGURES 6 and 7 are forms of clip for use with support members of FIGURES l and 4, and 5 respectively,

FIGURE 8 shows a further form of ceiling structure,

FIGURE 9 shows a still further form of ceiling structure,

FIGURE 10 is a section through one form of trim strip showing how it is applied to the ceiling structure of FIG- URE 9,

FIGURE 11 is a similar view to FIGURE of a further form of trim strip, and

FIGURES 12 and 13 are sections through further forms of trim strip similar to that shown in FIGURE 11.

The wall or ceiling surface covering, or suspended ceiling, shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises parallel lengths 11 of springy stri material, for instance flat or slightly bowed section, aluminium or plastics strip, which together form the visible surface. The strip may be translucent when concealed light is employed. The strip may for example be about 4" wide and about 0.01 inch thick. Such strip may be supplied in easily handled rolls containing a considerable length of strip from which the desired lengths can be cut off as required. When as illustrated, the covering is backed by sound absorbing material 11 such as mineral wool, or fibre the strips are perforated for instance with staggered rows of 1 mm. holes, there being say 149 holes per square inch. The number, size and shape may vary but the total area of the holes preferably should not exceed about of the area of the strip.

The covering also comprises support members 13 for the strip 10. The support members in FIGURES l and 2 are extruded metal bars of relatively short length, each bar being of angle section with a mounting web 13a and a supporting web 1317 which is formed with a circular bead 130 along its free edge and with a pair of oppositely directed flanges 1307 which are spaced from the bead 13c and the web 13a.

In assembly, the support members 13 are secured in position in parallel rows, each row containing a plurality of members 13 arranged end to end. The spacing of the rows is slightly less than the width of the strip 10.

The strips 10 are then entered between the members 13, the longitudinal edges of the strips being engaged in the channels 14 formed between the bead-s 13c and flanges 13d. This may be effected either by springing the edges past the beads 130, or by feeding the strip along the channels 14 from one end. Once the strips are in position they are supported continuously along their edges and are retained by virtue of their springiness, and whether flat, or bowed, initially, they take up a curved form which is concave towards the surface to be covered. When the strips are in position, they form a substantially continuous wall or ceiling surface and completely hide the members 15 and the nuts and bolts 16 or rivets 16a, and also hide almost the whole of the members 13, their beads 13c, only being visible. Where the width of the surface to be covered is not equal to an integral number, times the width of the bowed strip, the end strip may be slit longitudinally to the desired make-up width.

The webs 13b may be made thinner than the webs 13a so that the springiness of the strips 16 tends to correct any misalignment of the beads 13c.

If desired, the beads 130 may be covered after assembly with long lengths of decorative plastics material 17, such as is shown in FIGURE 3, so as to hide the gaps between adjacent beads. The material is of split circular section and resiliently grips the bead 13c. It may assist to retain the strips against disengagement from the channels 14. Such material is conveniently supplied in coils.

The support members 13 may be mounted in any convenient way. In FIGURE 1, the support members 13 are secured by nuts and bolts 16 to standard T-section rails 15 such as are commonly employed for supporting suspended ceilings and the rails have a spacing equal to the length of a support member 13, conveniently 3 ft. 4 ins. In FIGURE 2, the support members 13 are secured to the rails 15 by rivets 16a, the holes for which may be drilled off-site at standard positions. The sound absorbing material 11 may either be laid on the grid formed by the members 13, 15, or be inserted as panels between the members 13, the panel edges being engaged between the flanges 13d and webs 13a.

Insertion of the strip may be effected by a hand tool comprising a pair of wheels on a connecting spindle, the wheels having a spacing equal to that of the beads 13c. Each wheel has a peripheral groove to provide a pair of radial flanges which when the wheel is resting on a bead 130 project one on each side of the bead. In use one end of the strip is sprung into the channels, the wheels of the tool are engaged with the beads 13c adjacent this end and the tool then traversed along the beads. The flanges on the wheels press the strip edges past the beads into the channels 14.

Another form of support member 13 is shown in FIG- URE 4. The support member 13 is basically similar to that shown in FIGURES l and 2, but, instead of having a bead 130 at the free end of web 13b, it has a pair of oppositely directed flanges 13c co-operating with flanges 13a. to form the channels 14. The form of support member 13 shown in FIGURE 5 is similar to that of FIG- URE 4 except that it is basically of T-section having two coplanar mounting Webs 13a.

Instead of using nuts and bolts 16 to secure the support members 13, clips such as are shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 may be used. The clip shown in FIGURE 6 is suitable for support members as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4- and comprises a pair of leaves 18 joined by a narrow web 19, and a turn-screw 20. The leaves 18 embrace contacting webs of the members 13, 15 and after the member 13 has been correctly positioned screw 20 is tightened to secure the clip. In FIGURE 7, the clip 21 is basically tubular but has a longitudinal slot 22 to allow it to be fitted on the end or" a member 13 as shown in FIGURE 5, and has slots 23 to allow it to embrace a web of the member 15. These clips avoid the necessity of forming holes or slots in the members .13, 15 to receive bolts or the like.

If desired transverse stilfeners may be secured to the support members 13 between the rails 15.

In FIGURE 8, the support members 113 are short lengths of channel section metal, the side flanges 113a of which are bent to provide at their free edges channels 114 to receive the longitudinal edges of the springy strips 110. The side flanges 113a also provide shelves 113b on which panels, or strips, of sound absorbing material 111 may be supported in spaced relation to the springy strips 110.

The method of assembly is similar to that described in relation to FIGURES 1 and 2.

In FIGURE 8, the support members 113 are shown as being secured by wood screws 116 passing through the bases of the channel sections into wooden battens 115, but of course they may be supported like the members 13 in FIGURES 1 and 2, or in any other convenient way.

The bases of the channel sections may have large holes 117 in them in this case the sound absorbing material may be placed in the spaces between the battens 115.

In the still further form of ceiling structure shown in FIGURE 9, the ceiling structure comprises a plurality of springy strips 120 of perforated plastics material. The strips 120 are flat or slightly bowed when in a free condition and are held between support members 121 which are arranged in parallel rows the spacing of which rows is less than the free width of the strips 120. The support members 121 are extruded from plastics materials such as PVC.

As best seen in FIGURE 10 each support member 121, in cross section, comprises a downwardly extending web 122 from the lower edge of which extend oppositely directed flanges 123. Oppositely directed flanges 124 are spaced above the flanges 123 to provide oppositely directed channels 125. The edges of the springy strips 120 resiliently engage in the channels 125 so that the strips are bowed between adjacent support members as shown in FIGURE 9.

Extending from the upper edge of the web 122 are oppositely directed arcuate flanges 126. The flanges 126 are engageable in notches 127 in the downwardly directed flanges of angle section cr-oss members 128. Inwardly extending projections 129 are formed at the mouth of each notch 127 so that the free edges of the arcuate flanges 126 can be snapped past the projections 129 so that the support member is held securely in the notch. The support members 121 and cross members 128 form a gridlike structure and the cross members 128 of the grid-like structure are further supported by channel section members 130 as seen in FIGURE 9. Wire clips 131 extend across the channel section members 130 at the location where they intersect a cross member 128 and each wire clip 131 has hooked ends which engage the horizontal flange of a cross member so as to clip the cross member securely to the primary channel 130. A ridge (not shown) may be formed along the horizontal flange of each cross member 128 adjacent the free edge thereof over which a part of the hooked end of the wire clip 131 may be sprung so as to hold the hooked end firmly onto the flange. Metal hangers 132 are provided at intervals to suspend the grid-like structure as a whole.

Slabs of mineral W001 133 may rest on the support members .121 so as to be spaced above the perforated strips 120 to provide sound absorbing properties.

As mentioned earlier, in the various ceiling structures described the springy strips forming the visible surface of the ceiling may be about four inches wide. The use of such a narrow strip enables the structure to be used to provide an accurately fitting ceiling within a room of almost any size without as has been the case with other forms of ceiling structure, leaving large unsightly gaps between the edges of the ceiling structure and the walls of the room which gaps have to be fitted with specially cut members. The use of springy strips which are not substantially greater than four inches wide, when bowed, means that the maximum possible gap which can occur along any one side of the ceiling structure is about two inches, and in practice the gap will normally be less than this.

In cases where such a small gap is left, however, and it is wished to close the gap completely, trim strips of the kind shown in FIGURE may be employed at the longitudinal edges of the ceiling structure.

The trim strip 141 shown in FIGURE 10 is arranged substantially parallel to the support members 121 and is generally channel shaped in cross section comprising two vertical flanges 142 and 143 and a bottom flange 144. The vertical flange 142 may be secured by screws 145 to the side wall 146 of the room or other support independent of the ceiling structure and forming the boundary of the ceiling. The upper edge of the other vertical flange 143 is bent to form a channel 147.

The trim strip 141 is arranged to be on such a level that the channel 147 is level with a channel 125 on the nearest support member 121 and one of the strips 120 is then trimmed to a width greater than the distance of the channel 147 from the nearest channel 125 but less than the normal width of the strip 120 so that the cut down strip may be bowed between the channels .147 and 125 as shown in FIGURE 10. In the case where the strips 120 are formed from plastics a strip may be simply cut to the required width with scissors.

In the case where a support member 121 is very close to the side Wall 146 the upper projecting flange 148 of the channel 147 may be arranged to be on such a level as to project directly into the channel 125 of the support member 121 there then being no cut-down strip 120 between the two channels.

The springy strip or flange of the support member is freely engaged in the channel 147, so that the springy strip or support member may expand or contract longitudinally relatively to the trim strip.

FIGURE 11 shows a further trim strip arrangement for application at the location where the end edges of the springy strips 120 and support members 121 meet a vertical wall surface 134.

The trim strip comprises a J-section member 135 comprising a vertical flange 136, a horizontal cover flange 137, and an upstanding flange 138 along the free edge of the cover flange 137. A strip of resiliently yieldable material 138, for example expanded polyvinyl chloride, is located within the channel formed by the flanges 136, 137, and 138. The trim strip 135 is mounted on the vertical wall 134, or other support independent of the ceiling structure, by means of screws 140 passing through the vertical flange 136 at intervals along the length of the trim strip.

The support members 121 are cut to such a length that their free ends are spaced away from the vertical wall 134 by a distance less than the width of the cover flange 137. The trim strip 135 is so disposed that the end of the support member 121 overlies the resilient strip 139 as shown in FIGURE 11.

The springy strips are cut to be slightly shorter than the support members 121 so that their end edges abut against the face of the resilient strip 139. Thus the support members 121 are free to expand, and the strips 120 are free to expand by compressing the resilient strip 130, but a neat appearance is maintained at all times at the junction between the ceiling structure and the wall 134 since the junction is covered by the flanges 137 and 138 of the trim strip 135.

In the alternative and preferred arrangement shown in FIGURE 12 the support members 121 are cut to the same length as the springy strips 120 and the ends of both the support members 121 and strips 120 abut against the face of the resilient strip which is deeper than the resilient strip of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 11. With the arrangement of FIGURE 12 both the support members and the strips can expand by compressing the resilient strip 139.

In a further alternative arrangement shown in FIG- URE 13, the ends of both the support members 121 and bowed strips 120 rest on the upper surface of the resilient strip 139, a gap being left between their ends and the flange 136 to allow for expansion. The upper surface of the resilient strip 139 has a corrugated profile corresponding to the shape of the undersurface of the support members and bowed strips across the width of the ceiling structure.

Although in the above arrangements the trim strips and 141 will usually be attached to vertical walls, it will be appreciated that the boundary of the ceiling structure may be at any desired location and the vertical flanges of the trim strips may be secured to any suitable upright member. Alternatively the trim strips may be arranged for attachment to the horizontal surface from which the rest of the ceiling structure is suspended or may be attached to a member projecting downwardly from that surface.

It will be appreciated that the trim strips of the kind shown in FIGURES 10 to 13 are not exclusively for use with the particular form of ceiling structure shown in FIGURE 9 but are applicable to all ceiling structures of this general type.

I claim:

1. A ceiling structure comprising a grid-like support structure, which support structure comprises a plurality of spaced parallel elongated support members, and a plurality of spaced cross members secured transversely to the support members at intervals along the length thereof, each support member having features defining laterally facing channels along the length thereof, a plurality of springy strips of resiliently flexible material, said strips having a free width greater than the spacing of channels in adjacent support members, each said strip having its longitudinal edges resiliently engaged in an adjacent pair of said channels whereby the strip is supported in a transversely bowed condition, a plurality of trim strips at the edges of the ceiling structure, means for attaching the trim strips to a support independent of the ceiling structure, which trim strips are disposed to obscure any gap between said support and an adjacent edge of the ceiling structure, said trim strips having parts disposed beneath the edges of the ceiling structure so as to overla those edges, a trim strip extending transversely across the ends of a number of said springy strips and support members comprising a substantially vertical flange, and a cover flange projecting in the direction of the lengths of the springy strips and support members, the free end edges of the springy strips and support members being spaced from said vertical flange to allow for longitudinal expansion of the springy strips and support members, a further, upstanding flange being provided along the free edge of said cover flange, a strip of resiliently yieldable material being located in the channel formed by the substantially vertical flange, the cover flange, and the further, upstanding flange, said strip of resiliently yieldable material being engaged by end portions of said springy strips and support members.

2. A ceiling structure according to claim 1 wherein the free end edges of the springy strips and support members abut the strip of resiliently flexible material.

3. A ceiling structure according to claim -1 wherein the end portions of the support members extend beyond the end edges of the springy strips and are disposed above the resiliently yieldable strip, the end edges of the springy strips abutting the resiliently yieldable strip.

4. A ceiling structure according to claim '1, wherein said trim strips at the edges are spaced from the nearest support member by a distance less than the spacing of the parallel support members, and a springy strip extends between the laterally facing channel in the trim strip and said nearest support member, which springy strip has a free width greater than the spacing of the trim strip from the nearest support member, but less than the free width of the other springy strips.

5. A ceiling structure according to claim 1 wherein said trim strip is channel shaped in cross section, said laterally facing channel being formed to face outwardly from one side of flange of the trim strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,101,952 12/1937 Olsen 52-4-84 2,994,113 8/1961 Dail 52-484 3,080,022 3/ 1963 Mote 52-222 3,173,523 3/1965 Mote 52-222 3,254,462 6/ 1966 Toler 52-222 FOREIGN PATENTS 219,815 2/1959 Australia.

689,537 6/ 1964 Canada. 1,358,298 3/1964 France.

954,942 12/ 1956 Germany.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner. 

